For people with devices to manage heart rhythm disorders, ongoing monitoring is essential to high-quality electrophysiology (EP) care.
However, traveling from southern New Hampshire to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, for EP care can present a challenge for many patients. In good weather, the round-trip commute takes more than two hours, and in winter conditions, it can quickly become treacherous and take even longer.
To address these concerns, the Heart and Vascular Center at Dartmouth Health's Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center opened an Electrophysiology Device Clinic in Manchester, NH, in September 2024. The clinic serves the Concord, Manchester, and Nashua communities and allows patients to receive convenient care from Dartmouth Health electrophysiologists closer to home.
"Right now, we're seeing more than 100 patients a month, with room for additional expansion," said Caitlin Booze, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, Manchester Device Clinic Coordinator. "We have two physicians from the Lebanon campus—Dr. [Kevin] Kwaku and Dr. [Robert] D'Angelo—who see patients in-person at the Manchester clinic and monitor patients remotely."
Although patients who need electrophysiology devices—including pacemakers, defibrillators, or loop monitors—still need to travel to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for their device placement procedure, they can now receive all their pre- and post-surgical care, as well as ongoing annual or semi-annual follow-up, in the Manchester clinic.
"All devices can transmit data and send alerts directly to our team, so we can catch abnormal heart rhythms before they cause a heart attack or identify extra fluid in the body that could indicate a heart failure exacerbation," said Booze. "When we can identify and treat these conditions early, we can reduce hospital readmissions and patient events."
As the clinic prepares to celebrate its six-month anniversary, Booze said patients are grateful for the care and convenience.
"We're proud to bring device care to this region of the state and provide residents of southern New Hampshire with access to our Lebanon-based EPs—so our patients don't have to commute to get the expert treatment they need," said Booze.